mtx 1.2 ( http://mtx.sourceforge.net ) is a tape robotics control program
that will control huge multi-drive tape libraries with hundreds of slots.
It works with all modern tape robotics devices, except those which have
multiple robotics arms visible to the SCSI bus (a few gigantic libraries
with 500+ tape slots, the kind you walk into). I've had a couple of
people inquire about using it on Debian GNU/Linux, rather than the
antiquated version 1.0 that apparently ships with Debian GNU/Linux that
supports virtually no modern hardware.
If there is any interest in the Debian developer community in having
modern tape robotics control as a standard part of Debian GNU/Linux, my
suggestion is that this be handled the way it is in the 'rpm' community --
i.e., someone step forward and be the "official" maintainer for the
format. I personally maintain the 'rpm' .spec file for 'mtx' (I did not
write the .spec file, but I make sure that when, e.g., new binaries get
added, they make it into the .spec file), but I do not personally build
'mtx' RPM's and upload them to redhat.com, and I have no desire to do so.
Same thing with Debian packages. I'm willing to make the Debian patch file
part of the 'mtx' distribution and maintain that patch file, but I have
neither the time nor the motivation to compile 'mtx' or to upload it
anywhere other than the places where it already lives ( see
http://mtx.sourceforge.net ).
If anybody's interested, join the discussion on the 'mtx' mailing list (
http://sourceforge.net/projects/mtx and click on the links). Again, while
I have time to develop the software, I don't package it in any way -- that
can be done by anybody who knows how to type "./configure ; make" and I
write and maintain too many software packages to compile them all in
various package formats. My software runs on a dozen or so architectures
and four or more operating systems. Rather than show favoritism to any
particular architecture, operating system, or package format, I simply
don't do it.
Sorry if this sounds a bit brusque. My lack of time is simple fact. Debian
GNU/Linux's lack of a modern tape library control program is also simple
fact.
--
Eric Lee Green http://www.badtux.orgmailto:eric@badtux.org
Phoenix Branch -- Eric Conspiracy Secret Labs